Black carers suffer insufficient support

The myth that people from ethnic minority
backgrounds can “look after their own” with little assistance from
statutory service providers still exists, according to health
minister Jacqui Smith.

Speaking at the launch of a good practice
guide for black carers held in London this week, she said: “We need
to make special efforts for black carers. For too long black and
ethnic minority carers have suffered financial and social
exclusion, and received insufficient support.”

She told the 200-plus delegates that the
carers grant, which is currently £70m, will rise to £85m
next year and £100m the following year.

The government was also trying to ensure that
local authorities allocated a percentage of their carers grant for
black carers’ needs.

This year councils had been told that they
could spend up to a tenth of their carers grant budget on short
breaks for black carers, said Smith.

l We Care Too: a Good Practice Guide for
People Working with Black Carers is available on 0121 558 7003